LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the modern police command and control centre, being set up on the pattern of London and Istanbul, will be functional in Lahore from September 2014.
The CM expressed these views while addressing foundation stone laying ceremony of the building of the modern command and control center of Punjab Police at Quban Lines and later talking to media, on Friday.
“This system will go a way to improve law and order situation and control street crime in the province. All nine divisions of the province will be linked with the command and control center through satellite under a phased programme. Under this system initially 3,000 modern digital cameras will be installed in the city with a direct link with C-n-C center,” the CM added.
The chief minister said: “The cameras already fixed in markets, bazaars and shops will also be linked with the center in order to control crime through prompt action as well as reach the spot in case of any untoward incident. Digital monitoring of the city through C-n-C and control centre will hugely help keep a vigilant eye on criminal elements and miscreants.”
Shahbaz Sharif said the C-n-C centre will also help peaceful conduct of the large gatherings in the province in addition to ensuring foolproof security arrangements. He said that during the last tenure of his government, the core work was done on this project. He said the center would be state of the art as was the forensic science laboratory set up by the Punjab government in its previous tenure.
He said that command and control center will be completely independent and autonomous and operated in an organised and scientific manner.
Replying to a question of media, the chief minister said that the process of new recruitments in police had been started that would complete by February 2014. He said that special attention was being paid to improving the buildings of police stations while modern police stations have also been set up in the province.
In response to another question, he said that extortion of money would not be tolerated in Punjab including Lahore and strict instructions have been issued to police to take such elements to task as are involved in this practice.
Replying to a question about the failure of police to arrest the criminals involved in molestation of a minor girl of Mughalpura, Shahbaz said that the culprits would not be able to escape punishment and provision of justice to the aggrieved family would be ensured at any cost. However, he said, non-arrest of the criminal has put a question mark on the performance of police and he is soon going to convene a meeting in this regard.
Responding to a query, the chief minister said that the law against the elements involved in overcharging is being made more effective. He said that a well organized system has been evolved for stabilizing the prices of essential items and inefficient and corrupt chairmen of market committees have been suspended without caring for any political pressure.
Shahbaz Sharif said that administrative and police officers showing good performance with regard to stabilising the prices of essential commodities in their respective districts will be encouraged and given commendatory certificates while those showing poor performance will be held accountable.
Punjab IGP Khan Baig informed that 83 thousand square feet land has been allocated for setting up of integrated command and control center at Qurban Lines Lahore. He said that the project will cost two billion rupees and three thousand cameras will be installed at different places of the city.
He said that this system is running very successfully in London, Turkey and Tokyo and helping in controlling crime, arresting criminals, monitoring law and order situation, speedy investigation and immediate action in case of any untoward incident. He said that this system will also improve traffic management.